Headphones with adaptable fit

• US 9,241,209 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Toelle, Haley, Dong, Jianchun, Morishita, Michael Kai, Kim, Eliot, Raffle, Hayes Solos, Chebeleu, Livius Dumitru
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Julie X
• Application Number:
  US14/143,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20140376765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 381/29, 381/151, 381/294, 381/333, 381/384, 381/370, 381/374, 379/438, 379/430, 439/501, 242/378, 242/378.1, 242/378.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

A wearable audio component includes a first cable and an audio source in electrical communication with the first cable. A housing defines an interior and an exterior, the audio source being contained within the interior thereof. The exterior includes an ear engaging surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the front and outer surfaces. The peripheral surface includes a channel open along a length to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface and having a depth to extend partially between the front and outer surfaces. A portion of the channel is covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel. The cable is connected with the housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member and is captured in so as to extend through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith.

Claims

1. A wearable audio component, comprising:

a first cable;

an audio generation source in electrical communication with the first cable; and

a housing defining an interior and an exterior, the audio generation source being contained within the interior of the housing, and the exterior including an ear engaging surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the ear engaging surface and the outer surface, the peripheral surface including a channel open along a length thereof to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface and having a depth so as to extend partially between the front and outer surfaces, a portion of the channel being covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel, and a projection within the aperture;

wherein the cable is of a fixed overall length and is connected with the housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member, and wherein the cable is captured in and extends through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith, a first portion of the cable extending between the first location and the aperture such that an amount of the fixed overall length of the cable that is within the first portion can be varied by the slidable engagement, the projection within the aperture engaging with and applying a pressure to the cable within the aperture.

2. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the amount of the fixed overall length of the cable that is within the first portion can be varied by extension and contraction of a loop of the cable that can be configured to extend outwardly from a portion of the channel between the first location and the aperture, and wherein such extension and contraction can be implemented by a user.

3. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the housing is receivable by portion of an outer ear of a wearer with a portion of the peripheral surface contacting the tragus of the ear and a portion of the ear engaging surface overlying the external auditory meatus of the ear, the housing further defining an audio port open to the interior of the housing and in communication with the audio generation source, the audio port being positioned at least within the portion of the ear engaging surface that overlies the external auditory meatus during wear, and wherein the loop is configured to be extendable so as to be positionable against a portion of the cavum of the ear opposite the external auditory meatus.

4. The audio component of claim 3, wherein the ear engaging surface includes a projection configured to extend into the external auditory meatus of the ear, the outlet being positioned on an end of the projection.

5. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the projection creates an interference fit with the cable within the aperture.

6. The audio component of claim 1, wherein the channel extends around the entire peripheral surface outside of the bridge member.

7. The audio component of claim 6, wherein the peripheral surface defines a cylindrical profile in areas thereof outside of the channel.

8. A wearable audio component, comprising:

a housing defining an interior and an exterior, the exterior being at least partially defined by an ear engaging wall with an outlet port therein and an outer wall opposite the ear engaging surface, wherein the interior includes;

an interior wall at least partially separating a first interior compartment from a second interior compartment, the first interior compartment being adjacent the ear engaging wall and the second interior compartment being adjacent the outer wall, and

a reflex tube having a generally spiral shape being defined within the interior wall and having a first end open to the first interior compartment and a second end open to the second interior compartment; and

an audio generation source within the first interior compartment and having a front side facing the outlet port of the ear engaging wall and a back side thereof facing the outer wall.

9. The audio component of claim 8, wherein the generally spiral shape of the reflex tube lies along and is radially disposed on a plane parallel to the outer wall.

10. The audio component of claim 8, wherein the outer wall includes a vent port extending therethrough and open between the exterior of the housing and the second interior compartment.

11. The audio component of claim 10, wherein the vent port is configured in a source-identifying shape and occupies an area configured to provide a predetermined pressure gradient therethrough based on a characteristic of the reflex tube.

12. The audio component of claim 8, wherein:

the exterior of the housing is further defined by a peripheral wall extending between the ear engaging wall and the outer wall, the peripheral wall including a channel open along a length thereof to surrounding portions of the peripheral wall and having a depth so as to extend partially between the ear engaging wall and the outer wall, a portion of the channel being covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel; and

a cable having a fixed overall length is connected with the housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member, and wherein the cable is captured in and extends through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith, a first portion of the cable extending between the first location and the aperture such that an amount of the fixed overall length of the cable that is within the first portion can be varied by the slidable engagement.

13. The audio component of claim 8, wherein the outer surface is disposed on a cap that is removably attachable with a body of the housing.

14. The audio component of claim 8, wherein the reflex tube has a length between the first and second open ends of at least 20 mm.

15. The audio component of claim 8, wherein the reflex tube has a radius along a section thereof defined by a plane radially disposed with respect to the spiral shape, the radius being between about 1 mm and 3 mm.

16. A system, comprising:

a head-wearable device, including;

a center support extending in generally lateral directions and configured to be worn on a portion of a user'"'"'s face;

a first side arm extending from a first end of the center frame support, the first side arm configured to be worn adjacent a first side of the user'"'"'s head;

and

an extension arm configured to present information to a user via a display, the extension arm extending at least partially along the first side arm on a first side of the center support and further extending from the first side arm to a display end that supports the display in a position on a second side of the center support, the extension arm including a connection port on a surface thereof; and

a headphone assembly, comprising;

a connection structure configured to engage with the connection port;

a first headphone unit connected with the connection structure by a first cable having a first length of between about 50 mm and 100 mm such that the first headphone unit is positionable in an ear adjacent the extension arm while the head-wearable device is being worn by a user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the headphone assembly further includes a second headphone unit connected with the connection structure by a second cable of a second length that is greater than the first length and such that the second headphone unit is positionable in an ear opposite the extension arm while the head-wearable device is being worn by a user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first length is approximately four times the second length.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the second length is between about 50 mm and 100 mm.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first length of the first cable is such that the first headphone unit is positionable in the ear opposite the extension arm with the first cable positionable around back of the user'"'"'s head while the head-wearable device is being worn.

21. The audio system of claim 16, wherein:

the first headphone assembly includes a housing defining a peripheral surface extending between an ear engaging surface and an outer surface of the housing, the peripheral surface including a channel open along a length thereof to surrounding portions of the peripheral surface and having a depth so as to extend partially between the front and outer surfaces, a portion of the channel being covered by a bridge member that defines an aperture between and open to adjacent portions of the channel; and

the first cable has a fixed overall length and is connected with the housing at a first location disposed within the channel remote from the bridge member, the first cable is captured in and extends through the aperture in a slidable engagement therewith, and a first portion of the cable extends between the first location such that an amount of the fixed overall length of the cable that is within the first portion can be varied by the slidable engagement.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the amount of the fixed overall length of the cable that is within the first portion can be varied by extension and contraction of a loop of the cable that extends radially outwardly from a portion of the channel between the first location and the aperture, and wherein such extension and contraction can be implemented by a user.